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January 31, 2003
Front-Page
News
Curious Georgians
A January 27 article by the Associated Press chronicles the recent
three-week visit to western Massachusetts by a group of sixteen
librarians from the Republic of Georgia, arranged through a program
directed by Stephen Jones, chair of Russian and Eurasian studies
at MHC and a leading authority on the former Soviet state. Jones
told Associated Press writer Adam Gorlick that as democracy and
capitalism take root in Georgia, its libraries, which formerly
functioned primarily as book repositories, have an important role
to play in helping to create and support a civic society. Under
the Soviet system, Jones said, "there was no volunteerism
and a lack of understanding of the role and importance of free
information. Now they need those things to compete in the world."
Jones pointed out that the visit, funded by a $150,000 grant from
the State Department, benefits not only the Georgians. "Georgia
is one of the most promising places for the United States because
they have oil and a strategic location next to Turkey, Iraq, and
Iran," he said. "They're potentially one of our best
partners in that part of the world. If we can help them, it's
certainly in our interest as well." The Institute for Training
and Development of Amherst secured the grant for the visit, and
collaborated with Jones in choosing the participants and organizing
the program. Other media organizations, including the Daily
Hampshire Gazette and the Union-News of Springfield,
also reported on the Georgians' visit.
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